Music Blog

Your LouFest Survival Guide

It's time to get your gear in order for LouFest, so we asked RFT Music's Facebook friends to share what they think everyone should bring to Central Field to make the weekend perfect.

Jennifer M.: Well, it's St. Louis - so you can't just pick ONE thing (that or it's a toss up) and that's all thanks to the "wait 5 minutes for a change" attitude of St. Louis weather, particularly in the summer.

Matt K.: YOUR EARS, SO YOU CAN HEAR THE MUSIC, BECAUSE IT'S A MUSIC FESTIVAL, ROFLSAURUSREX
Kevin K.: Hearing ability.

Stephanie T., Megan D.: sunscreen.

Eric W.: Designated driver.

Tiffany E.: Friends who love to party!

Bo J.: Your ticket, duh.

Stephen M.: A copy of Deerhoof's Reveille and a confused look when Bradford Cox refuses to sign it (this is an assumption.)

Ryan M.: You gotta bring a freed mind! 'Cause like George Clinton said...FREE YO' MIND AND YO' ASS WILL FOLLOW!!!!

Ryan W.: pants

Jeff N.: A positive, ready to party, let's-not-be-meatheads-and-start-fights attitude.
Michael T.: Emergen-C. If you put it into a PBR or Coors Light (or any low-cost beer) it tastes like a Blue Moon and it might just be the jolt of nutrients/energy that you need to make it through the day. This was one of the greatest tour/festival secrets we ever stumbled on.

Ryan M.: DUH...you need a unicorn that pees gatorade (the blue kind).

Abby G.: Water. It's important to stay hydrated!
(Indeed. LouFest allows everyone to bring one sealed bottle of water, up to one litre, or an empty refillable bottle. Like last year, there will be a free water bottle refill station.)

Brandon R.: My cell phone, so I can post on the new RFT Music Facebook page, thanking them for the free concert tickets.

Benjamin G.: A pair of sunglasses that aren't too uncool to be ironic and aren't too cool to be douchey.

Ryan Z.: A fanny pack!

Meghann H.: Toilet paper. It sucks to use a Porta-John, but it's even worse to use one without TP.

Angela B.: My 3-month old son. Baby's brains are most malleable during infancy. I want him to gain an appreciation for GOOD music early on before the (lesser) cool kids hop on the bandwagon.

Mark G.: Patience.

Joey V.: A cattle prod in case the animals at the zoo are drawn to the strange music coming from Forest Park. I guess you could use it to get prime seating next to the stage too.
(While not expressly listed on LouFest's official list of prohibited items, chances are the cattle prod will fall into the general "weapons" category.)

Doug C.: A cooler full of popsicles for everyone around you. Man I should totally do that!
(Excellent as the idea is, coolers aren't allowed inside the festival grounds. Consider opening a popsicle-themed food truck in time for next year's festival.)

John S.: Some cigarettes for me to bum.

John F.: Yo-yo.

Chris C.: Popsicles, vitamins, hearing ability, yes, all things that would be useful at a music festival. But what about things that would be AMAZING at a music festival? For example, my cat Victoria. A music connoisseur, a struggling guitar player and a professional alcoholic, she is the epitome of the word festival. In fact, she just meowed in agreement. Vote for her.

John-Paul D.: The answer is weed.
(Yeah ... what do you think?)

Becky N.: Diapers, in case you piss yourself watching TV On the Radio.
All great suggestions, although we're not sure Victoria the Alcoholic Cat won't be confiscated and given a habitat in nearby Big Cat Country at the zoo. We've got some other suggestions:

A blanket or folding chair. No matter how badass you are, you won't be standing for two whole days. Plan to do a little light day-camping.